"Teams that use more than 20 players regularly don't tend to make the playoffs." Even if we want to take that as true, that's not a reason to limit yourself to 16. But regardless, where is Issa getting "16 core players" from? We only had 14 players play 1,000+ minutes this season...AZ was #15 with 733; Taha was #16 with 569; and Evan Bush was #17 with 540. Even if Issa wanted to argue that we ended the season with around 16 because of Picard and Abou Ali, how is that a reasonable mentality to have over an entire season? For what it's worth, Cincy had 19 players with more minutes than Taha (and #20 for them was Brenner), and Miami had 20. Instead of focusing on how teams with 21+ regulars do, can we talk about how teams with 14-16 regulars do?
i guess it depends on what their definition of playing "regularly" is. If they actually have any data on such things, I wonder how many of those are because of dealing with injuries or because they're bad to begin with so they're making moves to bring in & replace players.
From the article - In 2026, he has big ambitions. “I want to play in Europe, I want to play in the World Cup,” he says. “I feel like those are the two next steps for me.”
Yeah, if Tall posted that comment on BigSoccer, the obvious response would be: "Link/source?" Not to mention, who said anything about making the playoffs? Isn't the topic whether or not we win hardware or are at least in the running? Lots of marginal teams in MLS make the playoffs. Plus, did anyone take into account the dramatic increase in demands on said roster when you're a defending champion? Because that doesn't seem to have been the case in 2024 when we had to play a lot more games than the year before with that small roster. And that wear and tear certainly showed by later in the season.
Every time Issa talks, I am more and more convinced he's a moron. Or a Haslam stooge trying to convince us that them NOT spending money is a good thing. Taking him at his word that he REALLY believes that means he's a moron. Why? He cannot distinguish correlation from causation. Teams that only have 16 guys play "regularly" will do better. I buy that. Why? Because that stat reflects health. They are doing better BECAUSE they are healthier, not because choosing to play less guys is somehow better. A GK, 10 field players, plus an extra guy for each spot: FB/WB, CB, CM, AM/WF, CF. That's 16. If only 16 guys play regularly, that indicates a healthy season. If 23 guys play regularly, that means injuries. Further, there is no universe where having MORE depth is a bad thing. A lesson he shoukd have learned from the GK fiasco. You don't build a roster to deal with the best case scenario, you build it to deal with the worst case scenario. There is no harm in having depth and guys not playing because the team is healthy. But it even dummer when you are 3 comps + playoffs and playing 50 games a year. Lastly, if he and Nancy are too dumb to see how guys got run into the ground this year and last (Camacho, Rossi, Zawadzki, Moreira, Farsi), then they both should go.
We have a finite amount of brain energy to tap into every day. There are much better uses than trying to come up with a scenario in which Issa isn't just an incompetent moron.
Extending our window beyond Europe's is huge. That's how Turkish and Saudi teams get big name guys that maybe are hoping for a move within Europe, but have them as a Plan B.
He can play both depends on how good the team is and what position they have a more pressing need at. Nagbe & Morris were interchangeable and that’s what made them a dynamic duo.
The 1-16 players have to be top quality guys 17-however many (less than 30) because we won’t add to the max amount. Need to be those young supplemental guys from Crew2, draft or older vets like Bush. Bottom line you need to make it work and if you get better players 1-16 just means if healthy the other guys will seldom see the pitch. Our Biggest problem is the core group had gotten weaker starting with Morris exit , while management also got weaker. So we have seen a decline and then throw in injuries = disaster season. If we were healthy maybe we are 4-6 range. But we need to upgrade the roster. If they think this group is enough talent to win anything than they are beyond foolish. It’s sad they are not proactive in roster building and very slow in reacting. The inexperience in the FO & Ownership self imposed budget might make Nancy leave. I definitely wouldn’t blame him IF he goes to a better run organization.
He can't be a number 6 like nabge. and he would never come back. why come back to failing columbus when you can get promoted to the premier league?
You mean the leagues you always trash for being full of washed-up and overpaid players who are just trying to collect one last check off name recognition? ******** yeah, we're going back to retirement league status!
This sounds like excuse-making. Issa is trying to justify why the Crew have maintained such a small roster. What ridiculous reasoning.
Is there a deadline when or any date we can expect the Crew to make announcements on the Roster moves. Non playoff teams were annoying stuff right after the season but I don’t pay attention to all 30 teams nor do i remember the deadlines for these roster decisions.
Given Nancy leaving, not having a coach lined up, and hopefully Issa getting his ass sacked, I don’t imagine there’s a date we can expect anything. IIRC, it seems that the Monday/day after MLS cup is the day that tons of announcements are made for all clubs.
I'm not an expert on roster rules, but I would imagine we can't actually officially sign anyone until after the playoffs are over. Announcements could be made regarding options being picked up or declined, or coaches leaving, but that's about it.